Sequence relay



June 10, 1952 J. B. CATALDO ET AL SEQUENCE RELAY 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed March 11, 1950 INVENTORS Joy/v 5. 6 47/2100 yflfiff I IIIIIIIIIIIA'I June 1952 J. B. CATALDO ET AL SEQUENCE RELAY 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed March 11, 1950 M $09 a 4. ETCA e 0 VA a r 7 MM A 5 7 H Md WM uf W6 Patented June 10, 1952 SEQUENCE RELAY John B. Oataldo, Bernardsville, and Elbert De F. Tidd, Clinton, N. J., assignors to John B. Pierce Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 11, 1950, Serial No. 149,128

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to relays and more particularly to electromagnetic relays of the sequence type adaptable to be energized by 2-wire, lowvoltage control circuits to perform in sequence a given series of operations.

In the copending U. S. patent application Serial No. 141.529 filed January 31, 1950, and entitled Two-Wire Sequence Relay there is disclosed an electromagnetic relay adapted to perform sequentially certain control operations. The instant invention comprises a modification of a portion of the relay mechanism as disclosed in the said copending application.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a novel and simplified mechanism for linking the armature movement of a relay with the output means thereof, which mechanism converts repeating armature motion into a sequence of work operations.

It is another object of the invention to provide a highly efiicient and relatively indestructible mechanism for effecting sequence operation in a relay, whereby the output or Working means of the relay cannot readily become out of step with movement of the armature in the course of either improper or extended use.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, driving linkage is interposed between the armature of an electromagnetic relay and a set of separable electrical contacts comprising the output mechanism thereof. The linkage is such that one complete reciprocatory movement of the armature results in rapid separation of the contacts, whereas the second complete reciprocatory movement of the armature closes the contacts, after which the cycle may be repeated. Structurally the linkage includes an oscillatory member and a swinging link connected to be reciprocated with the rela armature, and also to be swung sequentially and selectively between the extremities of the oscillatory member to effect a uni-directional driving connection therewith. In this fashion endwise movement of the swinging link, when in engagement with one extremity of the oscillatory member, causes rotation of the latter in one direction, whereas engagement with the opposite extremity of the member causes rotation in the opposite direction. In either case, however, the direction of driving movement of the swinging link is the same.

A snap spring disc having two configurations of stable equilibrium is linked to the oscillatory member at a point spaced from the pivotal center of the latter so that the disc is snapped twice between its respective configurations of equilibrium for each oscillation of the member. Suitable electrical contact means are in turn linked to the snap disc so that the snap action thereof may effect sequential make-break action.

The above and other features of the invention may be better understood by reference to the following specification disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal cross-section of a relay constructed according to the invention and taken substantially through the center line thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal cross-section of a portion of the relay taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an isolated por tion of the internal mechanism of the relay;

Figs. 4 through 6 are a series of plan views of the linkage shown in Fig. 3, showing the sequential operation thereof;

Fig. 7 is a plan View of one alternative linkage formed according to the invention, and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a second alternative linkage formed according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings the relay of the present invention is formed of an outer cylindrical shell member [0 afiixed to an enlarged base member II, the shell I0 forming a solenoid chamber l2 and the base portion ll forming a contact chamber l3. One end of the shell [0 is fitted with an insulating cap member I4, and an insulating partition I5 is affixed between the shell and the base to separate the solenoid and contact chambers.

Within the solenoid chamber 12 a solenoid coil unit I6 is fitted, with the leads of the coil being connected to terminal lugs l1 and I8 anchored in the cap 14 to serve as junction terminals for the leads of a 2-wire relay-actuating circuit (not shown). For a detailed disclosure of a typical 2-wire control circuit such as might be used with a relay of the type disclosed herein, reference may be had to the said copending application.

End plates l9 and 20, formed of magnetic material embrace the solenoid coil to afford a path for the flux set up by the coil when the latter is energized.

Slidably received within the core of the coil I6 and extending outwardly through a suitable bearing aperture is an armature or plunger 2|, having secured in its inner end a narrow guide rod 22 formed of non-magnetic material and slidably received in a bearing fit in a central bore of a bushing 23 formed of magnetic material and carried by the end plate IS. A coil spring 24 urges the plunger 2| outwardly, and a shoulder 25 is formed on the plunger to engage the end plate 20 and constrain further endwise movement.

Also mounted within the solenoid chamber |2 is a stationary platform 26 (Fig. 2) secured to the shell l0. Upon the platform 26 there is journalled an oscillatory member 21 having a depending hub portion 28 received in a suitable aperture formed in the platform. The oscillatory member 21 is formed at either extremity with upstanding lugs 29 and 30 between which the enlarged head end 3| of a swinging link 32 may swing. The inner end of the swinging link 32 is pivotally anchored in a slot 2|a formed in the outer end of the plunger 2|, and the head end 3| of the link 32 is formed with a pair of laterally extending shoulders 3|a and 3|b, best seen in Fig. 3, adapted to engage selectively the upstanding lugs 29 and 30 in a uni-directional driving connection in a manner described below.

An arm 33 is formed on the swinging link 32 adjacent its pivoted end, and an arm 34 is formed on the oscillatory member 21 to project outwardly from one end thereof. A wire spring 35 is bridged between the free ends of the arms 33 and 34, which spring may be in the form of an omega spring, for example, to afford resilience in either compression or tension.

At the junction of the shell member Ill and base member N there is peripherally mounted a snap spring disc 36, the center portion of which is able, through the application of suitable initiating forces, to partake of snap movement between two configurations of stable quilibrium as shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 2. For a detailed disclosure of the methods of manufacture and characteristics of snap spring discs of the types contemplated herein, reference may be had to the pending U. S. Patent applications Serial No. 628,447 filed November 14, 1945, now Patent No. 2,571,170, October 16, 1951, entitled Toggle Springs; Serial No. 635,956 filed December 19, 1945, entitled Snap Disc Springs, and Serial No. 139,182 filed January 18, 1950, entitled Snap Springs and Methods of Manufacture.

The axis of movement or center line of the snap disc is preferably offset from the axis of movement of the plunger 2| as shown in Fig. 1. Secured by one of its ends to the central or moving portion of the disc 36 is a connecting link 3! having an opening 38 in its opposite end which receives the upstanding lug 29 of the oscillatory member 21 in a driving connection. An extension 39 is secured to the snap disc 36 on the opposite side thereof from the connecting link 31, the extension 39 being slidably received in a bearing fit in a bore 40 formed in the insulating partition |5.

Housed within the contact chamber |3 is a resilient, metallic arm 4| secured at its ends 42 to the partition I and furnished at its free end with an electrical contact member 43. Opposing the contact 43 and normally in engagement therewith by virtue of the self-springing action of the arm 4| is a stationary contact 44. Suitable leads (not shown) are connected to the stationary contact 44 and to the fixed end 42 of the resilient arm 4|, to complete the electrical power circuit through the relay.

When the snap spring disc 36 is disposed in its configuration of equilibrium as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the extension 39 is in engagement with resilient arm 4| separating contacts 43 and 44, and when the disc is snapped into its other configuration of equilibrium, the extension 46 is pulled out of engagement with the arm 4|, permitting the contacts 43 and 44 to close.

The sequential operation of the relay is shown in Figs. 1, and 4 to 6 taken successively. As shown in Fig. 1 the omega spring 40 has pulled the swinging link 32 to a position wherein the shoulder 3la is in engagement with the lug 29 of the oscillatory member 21. The contacts 43 and 44 in the power circuit are separated. Energization of the solenoid coil at this moment causes the plunger 2| to be drawn into the core of the coil l6, pulling with it the swinging link 32 in the first stroke of its reciprocatory movement. This causes the oscillatory member 21 to be rotated in a clockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 4, causing snap reversal of the configuration of equilibrium of the snap disc 36, which in turn permits the contacts 43 and 44 to close. Rotation of the member 21 also causes compression of the omega spring 35 by virtue of the angular movement of the arm 34. The compressed omega spring then exerts a force against the link 32 causing it to swing in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 5.

In the meantime assuming the solenoid coil to have become deenergized, as would occur in to complete one reciprocation. As a result of the combined swinging movement of the link 32, as caused by the omega spring 35, and the return reciprocatory movement thereof, as caused by the return of the plunger 2| to its inactive position, shoulder 3|b of the swinging link will engage the lug 30 of the oscillatory member 21 in preparation for the next energization of the relay coil.

In the event the link 32 is swung prior to energization of the coil IS the lug 3lb will be first engaged by the semi-circular, leading edge of the head 3|, the curved surface serving to cam the swinging link in a clockwise direction in order that it may pass around the lug 3|b.

Subsequent energization of the solenoid again draws the plunger into the core pulling with it the swinging link 32, which in turn rotates the oscillatory member 21 in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 6. This movement initiates snap movement of the disc 36 from right to left, thereby to open the contacts 43 and 44. The movement of the oscillatory member 21 also causes the omega spring 35 to be placed in tension so that it tends to pull the swinging link in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 1 with subsequent deenerization of the coil in the meantime permitting the swinging link and plunger to be returned to their initial or inactive positions.

Thus it is seen that two complete reciprocations of the plunger 2| as caused by two successive momentary energizations of the coil I6, result in one complete oscillation of the member 21, and this single oscillatory movement is utilized to initiate snap action of the disc 36 between its configurations of equilibrium as described. It will also be seen that the return movement of the plunger and swinging link has no effect upon the angular position of the oscillatory member, with a second and subsequent energization of the coil being required to complete the oscillatory movement of the member 21, hence affording the desired sequence operation of the relay sothat a 2-wire circuit having only momentary push switches therein may :be used to drive the relay through its sequential operation.

From the foregoing disclosure it will be apparent that the relay assembly may be adapted to perform various types of work action other than the make-break action of the power circuit as described herein for purposes of illustration. Also it will be noted that certain modifications may be made in the structural details of the relay without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, for example, the mechanism for swinging the link 32 between the lateral extremities of the oscillatory member 21 may be modified as shown in Fig. 7, wherein a pair of leaf springs 45 and 46 are secured to the oscillatory member at its opposite extremities, with the free ends of the springs extending outwardly to selectively engage opposite edges of the swinging link 32. When the oscillatory member 21 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the endwise or pulling movement of the link 32, the spring 45 will engage one edge of the link 32 to urge it in a clockwise direction in order that the shoulder 31a may eventually engage the lug 29 at the other end of the oscillatory member 21. The next reciprocatory movement of the link 32 will effect clockwise rotation of the oscillatory member 21, causing the spring 45 to urge the link 32 in a counterclockwise direction in order that the shoulder 3117 may eventually reengage the lug 3G to provide the required sequential action.

A second alternative structure which may be formed according to the invention is shown in Fig. 8, wherein a pair of leaf springs 41 and 48 are secured by their ends to the swinging link 32 to partake of pivotal movement therewith. Received between the free ends of the springs 41 and 48 is the offset free end of a driving arm 49 rigidly secured to one extremity of the oscillatory member 21. In this modification, clockwise movement of the oscillatory member establishes engagement of the arm 49 with the spring 48, urging the swinging link 42 in a counterclockwise direction, whereas subsequent counterclockwise movement of the member 21 carries the arm 49 into engagement with the spring 41 to urge the link 32 in a clockwise direction. Thus the sequential action of the relay may be effected in a manner similar to that described above.

Accordingly, while the invention has been described with specific reference to the accompanylng drawings and the several embodiments of the invention shown therein, it is apparent that the structure is susceptible of numerous modifications within the scope of the invention, which should not, therefore, be limited save as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An electromagnet relay adapted for operation in any position, including in combination, an oscillatory member mounted for oscillatory movement about an axis, abutment means carried by the oscillator member on opposite sides of said axis, a shifting-reciprocatory member adapted to shift between said abutments to engage the latter selectively in unidirectional driving connections to move the oscillatory member first in one direction and then the other, electromagnetic means for effecting reciprocatory movement of the shifting-reciprocatory member in a direction substantially transverse with respect to the mean position of the oscillatory member, the unidirectional driving connections between the shifting-reciprocatory member and the oscillatory member being effective for only one direction of reciprocation of the shifting member, a single spring member connected between the shifting-reciprocatory member and the oscillatory member, said spring member being constructed'and arranged to afford resilience in both compression and tension, said spring member being activated upon reciprocatory movement of the shifting-reciprocatory member and concurrent resulting movement of the oscillatory member, thereby to urge the shifting-reciprocatory member from one abutment toward the other, and work means connected to be actuated by said oscillatory member.

2. A relay as set forth in claim 1 including a snap spring disc having two configurations and adapted to partake of self-actuated snap movement therebetween after a brief preliminary inducing movement, and driving linkage between the disc and a point on the oscillatory member spaced from the axis thereof, whereby the two configurations of the snap disc establish the extremes of oscillatory movement of the oscillatory member, .and whereby the movement of the oscillatory member induces snapping of the disc between configuration, the said unidirectional driving connections between the oscillatory member and the shifting-reciprocatory member enabling the snap spring member to partake of snap movement at rates and for distances exceeding those of the reciprocatory movementof the shifting-reciprocatory member.

3. Ina sequence relay, in combination, ,a snap disc member having two configurations of equilibruim, means mounting said member to permit snap movement between said configurations, an oscillatory member having a fixed center of oscillation, means connecting the moving portion of the snap disc with a point on the oscillatory member spaced fromv the center of oscillation thereof, a reciprocator member, means affording a separable uni-directional driving connection between said reciprocating member and said oscillatory member selectively on either side of the center of oscillation thereof, and spring means for engagin said reciprocatory member with 0pposite extremities of said oscillatory member on alternate reciprocatory movements of said reciprocatory member, the movementof said oscillatory member serving to initiate snapping of said snap disc member from one configuration to the other, said snap spring being free, by virtue of said separable unidirectional driving connection, to drive the oscillatory member at rates exceeding the rate of movement of the reciprocatory member.

4. A sequence relay including, in combination, a reciprocatory link, an oscillatory member mounted for oscillation in the plane of reciprocation of said link about a given axis, means affording a sequential uni-directional driving connection between said reciprocatory link and said oscillatory member on either side of the axis of oscillation thereof, said driving connections thereby effecting rotation of said oscillatory member for one stroke during each complete reciprocation of the link, and spring means including a single spring element affording resilience in both compression and tension reacting between the oscillatory member and the reciprocatory link for establishin said driving connection between said link and member on opposite sides of said axis of oscillation of the member on alternate reciprocations of said link, thereby to reverse the direction of rotation of the oscillatory member upon each successive reciprocation of the link, said spring means holding the reciprocatory member in its next succeeding driving position for actuating the oscillatory member, and work means operatively connected to said oscillatory member to be driven thereby.

5. An electromagnetic relay adapted to be operated in any position including in combination, a swinging link, electromagnetic means for effecting endwise reciprocatory movement of said link, an oscillatory member pivotally mounted adjacent the swinging end of said link and disposed along an axis substantially transverse to the axis of said swinging link, the axis of oscillation of said oscillatory member being disposed intermediately of the end points thereof, means affording a separable unidirectional driving connection between either end of said oscillatory member and the free end of said swinging link, unitary spring means affording resilience in both tension and compression reacting between said oscillatory member and said swinging link responsive to oscillatory movement of said member for urging said link in an angular direction opposed to that of said oscillatory member, work means having at least two operative positions, snap spring member having at least two configurations of equilibrium operatively connected to said work means, and a connecting link between said snap spring member and said oscillatory member at a point spaced from the axis of oscillation of the latter, said snap spring being adapted to be displaced from one configuration of equilibrium to another by each complete reciprocation of said swinging link, said snap spring member acting, after snap action is initiated, to drive the oscillatory member independently of the said swinging link.

6. A sequence relay operable in any position and adapted to be energized by a 2-wire control circuit including in combination, a coil connected in the control circuit, a magnetic armature, first spring means urging said armature in one direction, said armature being adapted to be displaced in the other direction upon energization of the coil, a link connected to said armature to be reciprocated thereby, pivot means between said link and said armature afiording swinging movement of the free end of the link, a pair of shoulders carried by the link adjacent the swinging end thereof, a member mounted adjacent the swinging end of the link for oscillatory movement about a given axis and in the plane of reciprocation of the link, the mean position of the said link being substantially perpendicular to the mean position of the oscillatory member, a pair of driving lugs carried by the member on either side of said axis of oscillation to be engaged selectively by a corresponding shoulder on said link in a separable uni-directional driving connection, said link thereby being connected to said member for only one stroke of each reciprocation, a first arm carried by the member and extending laterally outwardly therefrom, a second arm carried by the link, second spring means comprising a single spring element affording resilience in both compression and tension connected between said arms to urge swinging movement of the link from one lug to the other responsive to each rotational movement of the oscillatory member, and a snap disc member having two configurations and linked to said oscillatory member at a point spaced from the axis of oscillation thereof, whereby movement of the oscillatory member as caused by said link initiates snap movement of the disc member and whereby the rate and distance of travel of the dies member may exceed the rate and distance of travel of the said armature.

7. In a relay as set forth in claim 6 including a rounded camming surface formed on the free end of said swinging link to induce reverse swinging of the link against the action of said spring means when the said camming surface engages either of the lugs during the reverse stroke of the reciprocating movement of the link.

JOHN B. CATALDO. ELBERT De F. TIDD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 745,899 Patterson Dec. 1, 1903 1,192,531 Kitchen Jul 25, 1916 1,658,511 Bruynis Feb. 7, 1928 2,364,540 Luhn Dec. 5, 1944 2,416,358 Stilwell. Jr. Feb. 25, 1947 2,417,438 OBrien et al Mar. 18, 1947 

